Osama bin Laden Hideout Being Demolished by Pakistani Forces [PHOTOS]

Pakistani forces on Sunday began demolishing the house of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden where he was killed by U.S. special forces last year.

Osama was shot dead at the compound in the northwestern city of Abbottabad on May 2.

Bulldozers arrived at the compound during the night to demolish the house. The outer boundary wall and upper portion of the house had already been destroyed by midnight, Karim Khan, a senior police official, told Reuters.

Yes, we have begun demolition work on the Osama house, he said. This is a joint operation of the local administration and security forces.

Residents said that an unexpected curfew has been placed in the area where the demolition is taking place, and residents have been asked not to leave their homes, BBC reported.

The compound was handed over to the civil authorities by the military before the operation.

The demolition was decided upon soon after the raid last year, but it was put off when the government set up a judicial commission to investigate the operation by U.S. forces, BBC reported, quoting an official.

Since the commission has almost completed its work and did not need the compound for any further investigation, it was decided it should be razed, the official told BBC.

The reason for the demolition was the visitors the place continued to attract, which posed a security threat to the area, located in an important garrison town, the official added.